The Women in the Workplace 2024 report reveals modest gains in women’s representation across corporate levels. While entry-level positions have seen improvements, fewer women—especially women of color—advance to management, a phenomenon known as the “broken rung.” Although supportive policies like flexible work arrangements and parental benefits have increased, many key initiatives aimed at boosting women’s advancement have been scaled back, and microaggressions persist.

The report underscores that, despite progress, deep-seated systemic barriers continue to hinder true gender parity in corporate leadership. It calls on companies to renew their commitment to equitable practices if lasting change is to be achieved.

Read more: Insights from the Women in the Workplace 2024 Report by McKinsey & Company

This article highlights both progress and challenges for U.S. women in the workforce. Women now make up 47% of the labor force and outnumber men in the college-educated workforce. However, gender gaps persist in top-paying jobs and leadership roles, and the gender pay gap remains stuck, with women earning 82 cents for every dollar men make. Despite gains, women still face significant barriers in business and politics, and public opinion is divided on whether being a woman makes it harder to succeed.

Read more: A look at gender gains – and gaps – in the U.S.

In the spirit of the 2024 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup, UNESCO’s Call to Action for gender equality in football emphasizes the need to close persistent gender gaps. Despite its global popularity, women remain underrepresented, with 95% of coaches and 91% of referees being men. The lack of media coverage and financial investment for women’s football perpetuates these gaps.

UNESCO’s “Football: Score a Goal for Women” event brought stakeholders together to propose solutions, such as equal pay, media representation, and mentorship programs. Success stories like Lewes FC, which equalized investments for both men’s and women’s teams, show the benefits of gender parity.

For more information, visit UNESCO’s article here: Towards Victory for Gender Equality

The “male blueprint,” which comprises characteristics traditionally linked to leadership roles and masculinity, contributes to gender inequality in corporate leadership. Despite progress, women remain underrepresented in top positions, facing higher expectations and stereotypes. The article suggests interventions focusing on structural changes in society and companies to promote gender equity.

Read more: The male blueprint: What it is — and how it stops women from reaching the C-suite

Here is an interview with Janet Foutty, former Chair and CEO of Deloitte Consulting, former Chair of Deloitte US, and Indiana University Poling Chair of Business and Government during the 2023-24 academic year. Janet speaks about the importance of sponsorship in organizations and other valuable lessons in leadership.

You can read more about her and her book “Arrive and Thrive: 7 Impactful Practices for Women Navigating Leadership” here: Alumna Janet Foutty, former chair of Deloitte, will be next Poling Chair at Kelley School

On this International Women’s Day, did you know that women are outnumbered 5 to 1 in the most senior positions in the S&P 100, and that a scant 10% of Fortune 500 CEOs are women? It’s a good day to read the work of Claudia Goldin, winner of the Nobel Prize in Economics for her work on gender gaps.

Happy International Women’s Day from the Kinsey-Kelley Center for Gender Equity in Business!

Deloitte predicts that women’s elite sports will surpass $1 billion in revenue in 2024, driven by commercial, broadcast, and matchday revenues. Major markets include North America and Europe, with football/soccer and basketball leading in value. Sponsorship and broadcast deals are increasing, while matchday revenues benefit from larger venues and fan engagement. Investment is rising, improving facilities and player salaries. Efforts to develop talent, protect athletes, raise profiles, and promote diversity are recommended for sustained growth.

Read more: Women’s elite sports: Breaking the billion-dollar barrier

The Kinsey-Kelley Center was proud to be a sponsor for this year Kelley Ethics Case Competition. The Ethics Case Competition is an annual competition organized by Kelley Student Government, where participants have the chance to engage in a challenging business ethics case. This year, the case focuses on a company trying to improve its culture for employees.

Congratulations to all the winning teams and to Kelley Student Government for hosting this successful competition!

A new report from Wells Fargo finds that the growth of women-owned businesses outpaced men’s for revenue, employment, and firms in 2023. In the United States, 14 million women-owned businesses exist, employing 12.2 million people and generating $2.7 trillion in revenue. The report concludes that women-owned businesses make significant contributions to the economy and have the potential for greater impact.

Read the report: https://www.wippeducationinstitute.org/_files/ugd/5cba3e_96b999d23fb04d8eb488192a179781d4.pdf

Read Wells Fargo’s press release: The Growth Of Female Business Owners

This article explores Bloomberg’s 2023 Gender Equality Index, revealing a stark gender gap in leadership, with only 8% of women in CEO roles. The piece advocates for corporate introspection and suggests practical initiatives like learning clubs, transparent reporting, and promoting diverse leadership to address biases. It emphasizes the importance of concrete actions for gender equality rather than mere declarations.

Read more: Harnessing data to bridge the gender equality gap/